Listen with Intention, Hear with Compassion

One time when Zen Master Seung Sahn was teaching in America, a student asked him, “You are called a Zen master, so what kind of Zen do you teach?”

And Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “I don't teach Zen.”

The student was puzzled and said, “But you're a Buddhist monk, so what kind of Buddhism do you teach?”

Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “I don't teach Buddhism either.”

Then the student was really confused. He said, “So what do you teach?”

Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “I only teach don't-know.”

This radical teaching is so simple. He didn't ask for us to follow him like a holy person. He also did not tell us that we have to become a Buddhist. But by saying, “Practice to attain your true nature—don't know, only go straight,” Zen Master Seung Sahn means we should not attach even to Buddhism. We should not attach even to Zen.

Don't attach to anything appearing in your mind.

 ***

So today, I just want to share one simple technique: listening. All of you here this morning chanted Kwan Seum Bosal, the name of the bodhisattva who perceives the sound of the world.

In Chinese, the word for hearing is 聽. This character is built with several components: the character for ear, the character for eye, the character for a heart full of deep empathetic understanding, and a character that means full attention. All these come together for this one word, which means to listen.

That's the listening of Kwan Seum Bosal, perceiving the sound of the world, hearing the suffering of the world.

Good or bad sound doesn't matter. So when we chant, just chant.

Then this kido can be successful for all beings.

So I urge you, please chant and listen.

Listen to your partners. Listen to your children. Listen to your coworkers you don't like.

And listen between the silence and what you don't understand.

Ask, What is this?

And from there, beautiful sound will appear.

Thank you very much for being here and for listening.